Overcoming Obstacles
by showtunediva
Summary: How the Warbucks family helps Molly overcome her dyslexia. Collab #3 with Mandalicious M- Odd Chapters SD Even Chapters Enjoy. Notes: We do not own any characters from Annie. Set after the 1982 movie. Molly is 6 in this story and Annie is 10.
1. Overcoming Obstacles

**Overcoming Obstacles**

**Chapter 1 The Diagnosis **

**An Annie Fanfic collaboration between Mandalicous and showtunediva**

A/N: Here's Chapter 1 of a new fic between me and showtunediva. It's about how Molly's family hewlps her overcome her struggle with dyslexia. Hope you all enjoy! We own no characters.

Grace Warbucks could remember clear as day the day her youngest daughter, Molly, was diagnosed with dyslexia. At that moment, she knew that her daughter's life had been changed forever. Grace felt so helpless whenever she saw Molly struggle with learning to read and write. She wanted nothing more than to just take the disability out of her, but she couldn't.

"I don't want this for her, Oliver." She remembered saying to her husband when they found out.

"I don't either, sweetheart, but it's just something we have to live with," Oliver said, kissing the top of her head.

"It's so hard for me to see her struggle, but there isn't anything I can do. She's my baby, Oliver,"

"I know, sweetheart. We'll make it through this together."

"What are we supposed to do to help her?"

"I'm sure that if we hire a tutor and if we help her, we can help her overcome this."

"It just seems so, so unfair to her."

"Honey, life isn't fair and unfortunately, Molly has dyslexia. There isn't anything we can do about it, so we should make the best out of it."

"How are we supposed to make something good out of this?"

"I'm not sure, actually. We'll find a way,"

Grace leaned into her husband's tender embrace and wished more than anything that she could take all this away from her youngest daughter. She loved her to death and never wanted to see her struggle.

When her girls got home from school that day, Oliver and Grace sat the girls down and told them about Molly's dyslexia. Grace felt awful for her youngest daughter and couldn't even imagine what she was going through. That night, Grace couldn't get to sleep. She was just thinking about her daughter and how she was going to get through this. She loved her more than she could even fathom and she didn't want her daughter to have to go through life with a learning disability.

"Mama?" Molly said, suddenly appearing in the doorway.

"Yes, baby?"

"I'm sorry that I have dyslexia."

"Oh, baby girl, it's not your fault and I'm not mad. I just want to make sure you're going to be able to get through this.

"You're really not mad?"

Grace shook her head.

"Can I sleep with you and Daddy?"

"Sure, baby," Grace moved over and Molly snuggled in next to her. The two were asleep within seconds.

Oliver and Grace hired a tutor the next day and tried their very best to help Molly through her disability. Grace sat down with her each night and helped her with her reading, as well as Oliver and Annie. She hoped that things would only get easier and easier as time wore on, but she knew that her daughter was a fighter and would not give up with her dyslexia. Grace wouldn't let her.


	2. Dealing With The Diagnosis

**Dealing With The Diagonis**

**Overcoming Obstacles Chapter 2**

**Note**: I have reused Chapter 6 of The Farrell Sisters and updated it in moderate ways. We do not own any Annie characters. Jen Farrell and her children are Mandalicous's original characters.

Grace Warbucks was still in shock by the news of Molly's dyslexia diagnosis. She knew that getting a tutor would be the best way to go but wasn't ready at this point to do that.

She called her sister Jen on the phone in Chicago the day she found out the news.

"Oh, Jen. I don't know how Oliver and I are going to get through this. We already told Molly about her dyslexia and I know how frustrated she has been with learning how to read."

Jen could tell her sister was close to becoming hysterical.

"Grace, first of all calm down a little bit. I understand this news is shocking but you have to be there for Molly to help her through this."

"I promised her that Oliver Annie and I would always be there to help her… but Jen I just don't want to see my baby struggle."

"I know you don't want to see her struggle Gracie but not everything about life is easy."

Grace dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. "I suppose you're right."

"The next time we come to visit do you want Kathryn to sit with her and help her practice her reading?"

Grace smiled. "I think Molly would really appreciate all the help she can get."

Suddenly Grace heard the door creek open Molly peeked in the room.

"Hi, baby, I'm on the phone with Aunt Jen. I'll be there to help you with your reading in just a second."

Molly looked up and saw her mother crying. "Mommy, why are you sad?"

"Jen, I need to go now. Molly just came in the room."

"Okay Gracie, remember be strong for your daughter. I love you."

"I love you too."

Grace hung up the phone and patted a spot beside her on the bed; Molly jumped up and snuggled into her mother's side immediately.

"Why are you sad Mommy?" she repeated.

"Well, I was telling Aunt Jen about the meeting Daddy and I had with your teacher today about your dyslexia. How are you handling the news sweetheart?"

Molly looked at the bedspread.

"Mommy, I'm sorry for making you sad."

Grace hugged her daughter. "Oh baby girl, I'm not sad… just worried about you. I just want to be sure you're going to be okay."

Molly was quiet for five minutes then Grace noticed that she was crying.

"What's the matter sweetheart?"

"Some kids in my class make fun of me because I can't read as good as them."

Grace's heart broke and she gathered her daughter in her arms rocking her back and forth.

"What do they say?"

"They say I read too slow and that my writing and that I don't write some of my letters right."

"Do they call you names?"

"No, not really…. They just say those really mean things."

Grace hated to hear that Molly was being teased by her classmates.

"Do you want me to talk to your teacher about this sweetheart?"

Molly nodded burying her face into her mother's neck letting out gut-wrenching sobs.

"Shhh. Molly, don't cry baby girl." Grace continued to rock her daughter back and forth until her sobs quieted.

"I love you Mommy."

"We all love you too Molly. Very much. We are going to help you in any way we can okay?"

Molly nodded. "Okay. Did Aunt Jen say she was going to help me too?"

Grace smiled. " She said that she and Kathryn would be than happy to help you with your reading and writing the next time they come to visit."

"Can Annie and Kathryn teach me together?"

"I don't see why not."

Grace dried her daughter's tears and took her by the hand. "Come on, sweetheart. Let me go help you with your reading and then we can go check on dinner."

"Okay Mommy."

Grace promised herself to set up a meeting with Molly's teacher as soon as possible about the teasing.

Mrs. Pugh noticed that Grace looked a bit distracted all through dinner; after the table was all cleared she patted her surrogate daughter on the shoulder.

"Come darling, we'll go to my room and have a talk."

Grace nodded and followed Mrs. Pugh up to her bedroom.

Once they got into the room and closed the door Grace collapsed on the bed and burst into tears.

Mrs. Pugh sat down on the bed rubbed Grace's back comfortingly.

"Gracie Liz." She whispered, wrapping Grace in a hug that made her feel safe.

Grace continued to sob.

"What's the matter sweetheart?"

Mrs. Pugh waited until Grace's tears slowed, reaching for a handkerchief in her pocket to dry them. Once Grace composed herself a little bit, she spoke still taking comfort in the warmth of the older woman's embrace.

"Oh, Mama. I'm just so worried about Molly."

"Her dyslexia diagnosis has you all tied up in knots doesn't it?"

Grace nodded and fresh tears started to fall.

"She told me that some kids in her class have been teasing her because of her dyslexia."

Mrs. Pugh nodded sympathetically. "Some children are just so cruel."

"I want her to be happy in school Mama. I don't want to her feel alone or like an outcast because of her disability."

"I'm sure her teacher must be aware that the teasing is going on and is doing something to control it."

"I would hope so… I hope there are some kids in her class that will be willing to try to help with her reading."

"How many kids are in Molly's class?"

"Probably about 24."

"I'm sure for every one child that makes fun of her there must be one or two that would be willing to help her with her reading."

Grace buried her face into Mrs. Pugh's chest as her tears continued to fall, she felt the older woman's hand move up and down her back.

"Shh, darling, things will be alright."

Grace's eyes met Mrs. Pugh's.

"I know I have to be strong for Molly but when she told me she was being teased my heart just broke in half."

"Well hopefully since you found out about the disability in the earlier stages you'll be able to get the right kind of treatment so that way it will be easier for her to deal with later in life."

"That's another thing I'm confused about. What kind of treatments would there be?"

Mrs. Pugh shrugged. "I don't really know. Have you and Oliver considered homeschooling her?"

Grace was shocked at this suggestion. "The thought never crossed our minds. We certainly don't want to isolate her."

"You won't be. I'm sure she'll make friends in school eventually. She's a sweet girl. If you decide to homeschool her she can still have her friends over her for play dates and parties."

"Alright, I'll discuss this with Oliver and see what he says… he might not like the idea."

"Are you going to meet with Molly's teacher about the teasing?"

"Yes, sometime later this week I'm hoping."

Grace kissed Mrs. Pugh's cheek.

"I love you Mama."

Mrs. Pugh stroked back the stray hairs on Grace's forehead and returned the kiss.

"I love you too my beautiful precious girl."

That Thursday Grace set up a private meeting with Molly's teacher to talk about the teasing.

"Mrs. Warbucks, I assure you we are doing the best we can to make sure that Molly are happy in our classroom."

Grace was crying again. "Mrs. Richards, you don't understand how much this has been upsetting Molly. She is worried none of the kids will like her."

Molly's teacher reached out and took Grace's hand in hers. "Mrs. Warbucks, there are only 3 or 4 children who have been making fun of your daughter and I'm doing my best to get them to stop. A few other students have stepped up and offered to help Molly with her reading and writing."

Grace smiled through her tears. "Well that's certainly comforting to know. You also said you have a few reading specialists helping her too, correct?"

Mrs. Richards nodded her head. "Yes, I have two learning specialists helping Molly every day."

"Has she showed any progress?"

"Not very much but she's very bright so I'm sure she will be up to speed with the rest of her classmates soon."

"Do you suppose homeschooling her would be a good idea?"

The teacher looked at her thoughtfully. "It's only the fourth week of school Mrs. Warbucks. If she doesn't show much progress by before the Thanksgiving holiday then homeschooling might be something you and Mr. Warbucks may want to consider. In the meanwhile continue doing what you're doing at home."

"My husband has also suggested hiring a tutor. Do you think that will help?"

Mrs. Richards smiled. "I most certainly do!"

Grace stood up. "Thank you for meeting with me Mrs. Richards. I feel better now knowing that my daughter is getting the help that she needs to be successful in your classroom."

Mrs. Richards reached out and shook Grace's hand. "If you have any more concerns we can always set up another meeting."

Grace walked out of the school feeling a lot better than she had going into the meeting.

When Grace arrived home from the meeting she found Oliver in the kitchen having lunch. Something that very rarely happened since he was always so overwhelmed with work. Mrs. Pugh usually put something aside for him and bought something up for him.

He kissed his wife on the cheek. "How was your meeting with Molly's teacher darling?"

"Very well, thanks for asking. She said that she would talk to the children that have been teasing Molly so I am hoping that will be over sooner rather than later."

"Any notes on her progress?"

"Well, Mrs. Richards said that she has been improving slowly. The learning specialists are helping her every day and some of her classmates are even helping her too."

Oliver smiled widely. "Wonderful! That's so good to hear. Perhaps Molly will have some friends to invite over soon."

"That would be lovely."

"Did you happen to mention my suggestion about getting a tutor to Molly's teacher?"

Grace nodded. "Yes, she thinks it's an excellent idea. Have you started to look for people yet?"

"I've got a few people in mind."

"I think the sooner we get a tutor for her the better. She needs all the help she can get, Oliver."

Oliver pulled his wife on to his lap and kissed her cheek tenderly. "I know darling. "The tutor, her teachers and learning specialists and us. We'll be with her every step of the way."

Grace returned her husband's kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too Grace."


	3. Family Is The Most Important

**Family is the most important**

**Overcoming Obstacles Chapter 3**

Grace and Oliver started interviewing tutors for Molly the next day. Grace wanted to make sure Molly would be getting the help that she needed to be successful in school. After interviewing about ten people, they decided on one and began working out a schedule. Oliver and Grace agreed that the tutor should come every day, so Molly wouldn't get too overwhelmed with the extra work she was going to do with the tutor. Grace knew that this was one of the steps to making sure Molly would be getting the education she needed in order to excel in life, but she didn't want her daughter to have to go through all this special treatment. When she had gone into that first meeting with Molly's teacher, she'd never had imagine that this her life would have changed this drastically. She hoped that the kids at school would stop teasing her soon. One night, she found her daughter in her room crying.

"Sweetheart? Are you alright?"

Molly looked up at her mother and shook her head, lip starting to quiver.

"What's wrong, baby girl?"

"I hate not being able to read as well as everyone else. They're all in higher reading groups than me,"

Grace took her daughter into her arms and began to rock her back and forth. "Sweetie, you do know that this isn't your fault, right?"

Molly nodded and sniffled. "But I hate it."

"Sweetie, you'll get the hang of it soon enough. Daddy, Annie, and I want to help you as much as we can. Come to us anytime that you are feeling overwhelmed or sad about this because we will always listen."

Molly nodded. "I'm not dumb, am I?"

"Oh, honey, of course not. Why, did anyone say that to you?"

"Yeah, a girl in my class,"

"Well, baby girl, just ignore her. So what if you aren't as good as reading and writing? I'm sure you have something you're better at than someone else. You just haven't found it yet."

Molly smiled at her mother. "You really think so?"

"I know so, baby."

Grace kissed her daughter's forehead. She absolutely hated seeing her daughter so upset. She wanted to just take her in her arms and never let her go.

Molly got up from the bed and went downstairs. Oliver came into her bedroom to find Grace on the bed looking like she was about to cry.

"Shh, sweetheart. It's alright."

"No, it's not. Someone in her class called her dumb." Grace said, hugging Oliver tightly.

"I thought you talked to her teacher about the teasing."

"I did. Molly doesn't deserve this, Oliver. She's such a sweet girl. Why does she have to live with this?"

"I don't know that, sweetheart. But I do know that Molly will overcome this. She has us, your family, her teachers, classmates, and learning specialists."

Annie peeked into the room.

"Hi, sweetheart." Grace said.

"Hi, Mom. Can I talk to you and Daddy about something?"

"Of course, honey. Sit down."

"I think a lot of kids have been teasing Molly about her dyslexia because whenever I see her on the playground, she's alone. Of course, I play with her, but i think she needs friends,"

Grace nodded. "Thanks for coming to us, Annie. We'll talk to Molly about it,"

Annie nodded and kissed her parents on their cheeks. "Is Molly going to be okay?" She asked.

"Of course, sweetie. We just have to make it through this."

Annie left and Grace looked at Oliver. "Oh, I really hope she's going to be okay,"

Grace met with Mrs. Richards again and talked to her about Molly's social situation. She knew that it wasn't just the dyslexia that was preventing her from making friends. Molly was terribly shy and afraid of making new friends Grace hoped that she would be able to get Molly to open up to new people and make friends, as well as help her overcome her dyslexia. Every day was a challenge, but things were slowly getting better. She hoped that everything would be going on the same track.


	4. The Conference

**The Conference**

**Overcoming Obstacles Chapter 4**

I own no characters from Annie. Annie's friends and their sisters/ family members are my original characters. Grace's sisters and their children are Mandalicious's original characters. They will appear in other chapters.

Fall weather was brisk in upper Manhattan; Annie had turned 11 and had a wonderful birthday with her cousins. At school Annie still noticed that her sister was alone at recess and this concerned her a great deal. One day at lunch time she decided to talk to her friends Ariel and Samantha about it.

"So you guys know how my sister has dyslexia?"

Ariel and Samantha nodded.

"Well , I've noticed that she's lonely on the playground. I feel bad for her that she doesn't have a lot of friends"

"We've noticed that too and we feel bad that the kids in her class are giving her such a hard time." Ariel said.

"Has she always been so quiet and shy, even when you knew her at the orphanage?" Samantha asked.

Annie nodded.

"Sounds like we all need to work together to get her to come out of her shell a little bit." Ariel said.

"Don't you guys have sisters and brothers in her grade?" Annie asked.

Her friends nodded.

"My sister is in her class actually. Have they met yet?" Samantha asked.

Annie shook her head. "Molly hasn't mentioned anything to me or my parents. What's your sister's name?"

"Jamie."

"It's funny Molly always talks about the kids who tease her but hasn't mentioned anything about people who are nice to her. Do you think they'd get along?"

Samantha shrugged. "We'll have to see. How about you guys come over my house after school tomorrow and I'll introduce Jamie to Molly?"

Annie nodded, grinning at her friend. "That'd be swell. Thanks Sam."

That night at dinner time Annie mentioned the fact that her friend's sister was in Molly's class.

"Molly, did you know my friend Samantha's sister is in your class at school?"

Grace's ears perked up at this.

Molly shook her head.

"Well she is, her name is Jamie."

"How come you've never mentioned that before sweetheart?" Grace asked her oldest daughter.

"I just found out today at lunch actually. Samantha wanted to invite us over her house after school this week sometime so Jamie and Molly could meet would that be okay?"

Grace jumped up from her spot at the table and gave Annie a squeeze.

"Annie, that's a wonderful idea. I love your friend Samantha and I'm sure her sister is just as sweet of a girl as she is."

" What if she doesn't like me?" Molly whispered.

"She's definitely gonna like you Molly, you guys will get along great. Trust me!"

Grace hoped this would work out well. Molly seemed so lonely and she really needed a friend.

Two days later after school Samantha, Annie and Samantha's mother walked together to Molly's classroom to pick up Molly and Jamie. The young children ran to greet their family members.

"Jamie, this is my sister Molly." Annie said

"Hi Molly!" Jamie said excitedly.

"Hi." Molly whispered

Samantha's mother Maria knelt down in front of Jamie.

"Jamie, honey Annie was telling me that some of your classmates have been mean to Molly because of her dyslexia. We agreed to help her out with her reading and writing. Is that okay?"

Jamie nodded, looking at her mother, sister, Annie, Molly and back to her mother.

"Mommy, I don't like how the other kids are being mean to Molly. I want to help her with her reading."

Annie gave her friend's sister a squeeze. "Thank you Jamie. Molly has been so lonely and could really use a friend."

Once the four got back to Samantha's house they had a snack and started on their homework. Annie saw firsthand how much her sister struggled with her school work and was happy that she'd finally found a friend she could count on to help through her struggles at school. Since the younger kids did not have too much homework that day Molly and Jamie went up to Jamie's room to play dolls while Annie and Samantha worked on the rest of their homework.

Grace came to pick up Annie and Molly around 5:00.

"Mommy, guess what? I made a new friend! She's going to help me with my reading too." Molly said excitedly.

Grace couldn't be happier. She smiled at Samantha's mother. "Thank you so much Maria."

Samantha's mother gave Grace a hug. "Any time Grace. We're all always here for you, whatever you need."

The third week of October was parent teacher conferences. Grace and Oliver set up a meeting with Mrs. Richards on Tuesday the 24th.

"So has Molly been making any progress with her tutor?" Mrs. Richards asked

Oliver nodded. "We take things in stride day by day. Are things going better here as well?"

Mrs. Richards smiled. "Everything seems to be on track. The bullying has stopped and more kids are coming forward to help Molly with her reading and writing."

"Is her social situation improving as well?" Grace asked

Mrs. Richards shook her head. "Unfortunately no… aside from Jamie Erickson she hasn't made a lot of friends yet. Did she have a lot of trouble being social with the other girls when she was in the orphanage?"

Grace shrugged her shoulders. "My oldest daughter never mentioned anything to me about that. Molly never really talks about her life in the orphanage to be honest."

"Why do you suppose that is?"

Oliver was the next to shrug. "We don't really know. All we do know is that Agatha Hannigan was a slave driver. We are happy that our girls no longer have to live in those conditions."

Grace made a mental note to talk to Molly about why was having so much trouble making friends.

"Do you think it will be necessary to homeschool her?" Grace asked.

Mrs. Richard shook her head. " Not at this time. We will continue to measure her progress and if by before we go home for Christmas vacation she has not made substantial progress then yes home schooling her might be something you may want to consider.. at least for the rest of this school year."

"Looking ahead a bit will she have to repeat first grade?" Grace asked nervously.

Mrs. Richards took Grace's hand. "It's too soon to tell Mrs. Warbucks. I would suggest that you have Molly continue to work with the tutor as much as she can and we'll see how much she's improved by the holidays."

Oliver and Grace left the classroom. Jamie's parents were next in line.

"Hello Grace. How is Molly doing?" Maria Erikson asked.

"She seems to be improving and lots more kids are offering to help with her reading and writing." Grace said smiling.

"I'm so glad to hear that." Maria hugged Grace.

"Maria, Oliver and I are kind of concerned about Molly's social situation. Does Jamie have any friends that Molly would get along well with?"

Maria nodded. "She sure does. I'll get some mothers together and maybe all of us can go the movies sometime. How does that sound?"

Oliver grinned broadly. "That would be fabulous! Molly has been really lonely and need more socialization."

As Oliver and Grace walked out to their car to head back to the mansion Oliver pulled Grace tightly to him and kissed her on the forehead.

"See darling, what did I tell you? Everything will be okay."

Grace smiled but her smile quickly faded.

"I just wish we could get into her head a little and find out why she has so much trouble making friends. She's such a wonderful girl. I can't stand to see her struggling socially so much."

When Oliver and Grace arrived home from the parent/ teacher conference they walked in the kitchen to two very happy girls who were helping Mrs. Pugh bake cookies.

"Mom, look! We're helping Grandma Helen bake chocolate chip cookies!" Annie said excitedly.

"I can see that. I can't wait to try them." Grace said kissing each of her daughters on the head and then turning to give Mrs. Pugh a kiss on the cheek.

Mrs. Pugh wrapped Grace in a warm hug. " Come, let's have some coffee and talk about your meeting with Molly's teacher. I've got a fresh pot of coffee on.

Grace smiled. "We'll all have some dessert. There's something we actually need to talk to Molly about."

Molly looked worried. "Am I in trouble Mommy?" she asked

Grace kissed Molly on the top of the head once again. "Of course not my sweet girl. Daddy and I just have something we're concerned about so we need to ask you some questions."

The group of five sat down at the kitchen table for dessert.

Oliver grinned. "Molly, Mrs. Richards said you are really making wonderful strides to improve on your reading."

"Really?" Molly said

Grace's grin was equally as wide as Oliver's. "Yes darling. We're very proud of you. Continue all the hard work you are doing with your tutor because it is really paying off!"

Molly smiled. "Okay Mommy."

Mrs. Pugh gave Molly a squeeze.

"Don't you forget sweetheart we're all for you every step of the way."

Molly nodded. "I love you Grandma Helen." she kissed her surrogate grandmother on the cheek.

"We all love you too princess." Oliver said.

"Molly, Samantha said you and Jamie really get along great." Annie said.

Molly's grin grew wide. "Yeah, we do Annie. We have so much fun together. I'm so glad to finally have a friend. I'm not so lonely on the playground anymore."

What a wonderful segue Grace thought to herself.

"Annie, does Jamie have any other friends?" Grace asked.

Annie nodded. "Yeah, why?"

Grace looked at both of her daughters. " Mrs. Richards said that Molly has been having trouble making friends and that she only sees Molly and Jamie playing together with no one else."

Molly looked at her dessert plate. "I'm sorry Mommy."

Grace got up from her chair and pulled Molly into her arms kissing her forehead.

"Baby girl, stop apologizing. Daddy and I are just worried. We want you to have more friends then just Jamie. Mrs. Richards said more and more people are coming forward to help you with you reading and writing, why don't you make friends with them?"

"What if they don't like me?"

Annie looked at her sister "Molly, if they want to help you with your reading and writing they like you."

Grace looked at her daughter. "Molly, honey are the kids still teasing you?"

Molly shook her head. "Not really."

"Then why are you nervous people won't like you?"

Molly shrugged.

Grace vowed to get to the bottom of why Molly was so afraid to make friends. She had a feeling that tonight would not be the night to get more information from her.

"Come girls. It's time to get ready for bed. "Mrs. Pugh said to her granddaughters.

Grace put Molly down and Mrs. Pugh took each of her granddaughters' hands in each of hers and led them upstairs. Grace and Oliver followed them upstairs to get ready for bed themselves.

Once Annie and Molly were asleep Mrs. Pugh was in bed reading a book when Grace knocked on her door.

"Come in darling." She called.

Grace let herself in and sat down next to Mrs. Pugh on the bed. Mrs. Pugh put her book down and pulled Grace close to her.

"Are you feeling better about how Molly is doing in school Gracie Liz?"

Grace nodded. "Yes, Mama. I'm just so confused about why she's having so much trouble making friends. I'm certainly very happy she's found a friend in Jamie Erickson but she needs more than just one friend."

"From what Annie was saying it seems like Jamie has a lot of friends."

"Why doesn't Molly want to socialize with them? I certainly don't want Molly to isolate Jamie from her other friends."

"I'm completely positive that won't happen darling, Jamie seems like a very sweet and outgoing girl. I'm sure Molly will fit in with her friends quite nicely."

Grace nuzzled into to Mrs. Pugh's chest. "I hope you're right Mama."

"Just be patient, my dear. Everything will work out. I love you so much." Mrs. Pugh kissed the top of Grace's head.

"I love you too Mama." Grace whispered.


	5. More and More Friends

**More and More Friends**

**Overcoming Obstacles Chapter 5**

A/N: Here's Chapter 5! Hope you all are enjoying this so far and thank you all for reviewing. Annie characters do not belong to us. Jamie and her family are showtunediva's characters and I own Grace's side of the family.

In early November, Molly came home from school with an invitation to Jamie's birthday party. Grace was ecstatic when she saw it, as she knew it would be a perfect way for her to make more friends. She hoped that Molly would come out of her shell and talk to more people, because she only had Jamie right now.

"Are you excited about the party, sweetie?" Grace asked Molly the day before the party.

Molly smiled a little but then it faded. "I don't want to go, Mommy."

"Why not, sweetie? I thought you were excited to go."

"But I'm not going to know anyone there,"

Grace smiled at her daughter. "Of course you will. You'll know Jamie and the other girls from your class."

"But, Mommy, none of the other girls talk to me."

"Then you talk to them, sweetie. Are you sure you don't want to go?"

Molly thought for a second. "I don't know."

"Sweetheart, why are you so afraid of making friends?"

Molly looked at mother. "I'm just not good at making friends. Nobody likes me."

"They will if they get to know you, baby girl. Not everyone is going to like you right away, you just have to open yourself up,"

Molly nodded. "Okay, Mama."

"So do you still want to go to Jamie's party?"

Molly nodded. "It's gonna be fun,"

Grace kissed Molly's forehead. "I'm glad you feel that way."

"Is Annie coming too?"

"I don't think so, sweetie. But you'll still have fun."

"I know I will."

Molly went upstairs and Grace smiled. She hoped that Molly would be able to open up to meeting new people and make new friends at Jamie's party.

The next afternoon, Grace dropped Molly off at Jamie's house for the party. She really hoped that her daughter would have a good time. Annie came along for the car ride. They arrived at Jamie's house around one thirty and Grace took Molly inside.

"Have fun, sweetie. I'll pick you up in just a little bit." Grace kissed her daughters head.

"Okay, Mommy." Molly said as Jamie came up to her. The two ran into the party room and Maria came up to Grace.

"Jamie's so glad Molly could make it. They're going to have a blast."

"Oh. I hope so. She was a little nervous about coming today because she was afraid she wouldn't know anyone."

Maria nodded. "I'll make sure she has a wonderful time,"

Grace smiled. "Thank you."

"Of course. We're always here for you,"

Grace nodded and then said. "We'll I'd better be going. I'll be back at four thirty,"

"We'll see you then."

Grace picked Molly up from the party at four-forty-five. When she walked in the door, Molly ran up to her with a wide smile on her face.

"How was the party, baby?"

"Mommy, it was so much fun! Jamie introduced me to all of her friends from school and they're all really nice! I had a great time!"

Grace smiled at her youngest. "That's wonderful, baby girl. I told you that you'd have a great time."

Molly nodded. "You were right, Mama."

Jamie came up to Molly.

"Thanks for coming to my party, Molly,.

"You're welcome, Jamie." Molly said.

Grace smiled. "I'm glad she had a good time," Grace said to Maria.

"They all did and Molly got along nicely with the other girls."

"That's so good to hear," Grace thanked Maria and then she and Molly left.

"So you made some new friends?" Grace asked her daughter on the car ride home.

"I guess so." Molly said quietly.

"Sweetie, what's wrong? It sounded like you got along with the other girls well"

"I don't know. I'm just afraid they won't like me when I got back to school."

"Why would that happen, sweetheart? Don't think about that. They'll still like you on Monday, I promise you."

Molly nodded at her mother. "Okay."

Grace took Molly home and the family ate dinner.

On Monday afternoon when Grace picked the girls up from school, Molly said that the friends she had made at Jamie's party still liked her. Grace was so happy that Molly had found her special group of friends, but also wished it hadn't taken her so long to find them. She was so glad that Molly was progressing well both socially and academically. She hoped that Molly would keep getting better and that things would be smooth from now on.


	6. The 2nd Conference

**The Second Conference**

**Overcoming Obstacles Chapter 6**

The week after Jamie's birthday party Grace and Oliver were called in for another conference with Molly's teacher. The meeting took place at 5:30pm on a Tuesday. Grace and Oliver were not in the least bit happy to see the look of distress on Mrs. Richards's face.

"What seems to be the problem?" Oliver asked.

Mrs. Richards sighed.

"Since we last met Molly has not made very much progress with her reading and writing. She is not at the same level the rest of her peers are at despite all the help she has been getting from her friends, your family members and the tutor."

Grace's heart dropped in her chest. She was afraid this would happen sooner or later.

"Have the kids started teasing her again?" Grace whispered.

Mrs. Richards nodded. "I'm afraid so but luckily this time around she has friends in her corner to stick up for her. She seems very afraid to stand up for herself against the bullies."

Grace was surprised Molly had not come to her or Oliver to tell them that the teasing had started again.

"Do you still see problems with her social situation?" Oliver asked

Mrs. Richards smiled . "Most definitely not! Molly seems to have found a good support group amongst Jamie Erikson and her group of friends. They are an inseparable bunch."

Grace smiled though on the inside her heart was just about broken. "That's good to hear. It's comforting to know that our daughter is not lonely. She was so miserable earlier this year."

"Is homeschooling still something the two of you are considering for Molly?" Mrs. Richards asked.

Oliver and Grace exchanged a look.

"Do you think it's advisable?" Oliver asked.

Mrs. Richards nodded solemnly. I'm afraid so. It might be the best approach to have work with the tutor in a home setting and then you and Mrs. Warbucks can see the best ways you can help her to achieve success in the future."

Grace was crying. Oliver rubbed his hands up and down her back, kissing her cheek and spoke on both of their behalves.

"Is it advisable to homeschool her for the rest of the school year?"

Mrs. Richards nodded. "Yes, but just because you are homeschooling her doesn't mean she won't be able to see her friends."

Oliver nodded. "Of course. We're not concerned about that at all. Our older daughter is good friend with Jamie's sister so I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of Jamie and we can have her and her other friends over for play dates."

"We just want the best for our daughter." Grace was finally able to say through her tears.

Mrs. Richards took Grace's hand and squeezed it gently. "Of course you do Mrs. Warbucks. Molly is a very bright girl but I think her dyslexia really puts a damper on her self-esteem. The teasing doesn't seem to help too much either. Homeschooling her will be the best way for you to see where the trouble spots are on a daily basis so you can help her succeed."

Oliver and Grace stood up and Oliver shook Mrs. Richards's hands briskly.

"Thank you for meeting with us again Mrs. Richards. We will talk with Molly about our plans to home school her."

"You're quite welcome Mr. Warbucks."

Grace and Oliver left the class room and walked to the parking lot in silence. The first five minutes of the car ride home were silent too.

"Grace, sweetheart, are you alright?" Oliver whispered.

Tears were forming again at the edges of Grace's eyes.

"No." was all Grace could manage to respond.

Oliver took one hand off the steering wheel and took his wife's hand in his.

"We have to stay strong for Molly. We've made it this far."

"I know, I just hate that she has to suffer like this Oliver."

"I do too. Do you want to talk to Molly about this or should I?"  
"I'm too much of a mess Oliver. I don't think I'll be able to talk to her without wanting to break down."

"Okay, I'll talk to her. I love you baby."

Grace leaned over and kissed her husband on the cheek. "I love you too, more than words."

Grace went to her room as soon as she and Oliver arrived home. Mrs. Pugh noticed right away that Grace was upset and after going to the kitchen to make her a pot of tea went up to her room and knocked on the door.

"Gracie Liz, are you alright?"

She was met with nothing but gut wrenching sobs from the other side of the door.

She let herself in the room softly, setting the pot of tea on the nightstand. Grace had changed into her pajamas and was wrapped under the covers.

"Do you want some tea?"

Grace shook her head. She felt like she was living in the ultimate nightmare.

Grace, feeling like she was five years old sat up, feeling Mrs. Pugh's embrace tighten around her.

"I feel so lost right now Mama, so incredibly helpless."

"I take it the conference with Molly's teacher did not go well."

Grace shook her head. "Oliver is in his office talking to Molly right now. I couldn't bear to face her. My heart is just broken in two."

"What's the latest?"

Grace sighed. "We're going to homeschool Molly. Mrs. Richards says it's for the best. Her reading and writing are not at the level they should be at. To make matters worse the same kids are teasing her again."

Mrs. Pugh rubbed Grace's back comfortingly. "Gracie Liz, this is what is best for Molly. We can all help her together to be successful and see what exactly she has been struggling with the most. We'll all get through this, don't you worry."

"The fact that the kids are teasing her again just breaks my heart Mama."

"I know darling. As I said before some children are just so cruel. The important difference now is that Molly has friends now. She didn't have that earlier in the year. Think about how much better things have been for her socially."

Grace smiled through her tears. "I am so happy Molly has friends. If Annie hadn't suggested that Jamie and Molly meet things would have been so much different. "

"Come here Gracie Liz. Don't you cry. Mama's here."

Grace curled herself into a ball on Mrs. Pugh's lap, wrapping her arms around the older woman's neck. Mrs. Pugh's embrace tightened around her surrogate daughter as she rocked her back and forth stroking her hair all the while.

"My beautiful girl, we all want the very best for Molly and she will overcome this but you have to be strong for her. Molly seems to have a good group of friends now who will help her stand up against the bullies."

"What makes her so shy to stand up against the bullies herself? I don't understand what stands in her way."

"I can honestly tell you that I don't know the answer to that. It may be best if you talk to Molly about it."

Grace's tears did not subside and as they continued to fall Mrs. Pugh retrieved a handkerchief from her apron pocket and dried them.

"Shhh, my sweetest angel. Everything will be alright." Mrs. Pugh stroked the stray hairs from Grace's forehead and kissed it softly.

"I love you." was the only sentence that Grace could muster.

"I love you too Grace, so very much."

Grace fell asleep in Mrs. Pugh's arms. Mrs., Pugh disentangled Grace from her embrace and tucked her in to bed like she used to do with her children when they were young.

"Good night Mama."

Mrs. Pugh kissed Grace's forehead once more. "Good night my precious Gracie Liz. Sweet dreams."

**Disclaimer:** You should all know by now that we don't own any characters from Annie. Grace's sisters and nieces and nephews are Mandalicous's original characters and Jamie and all her friends are my original character. They will appear in future chapters.


	7. Making Things Easier

**Making Things Easier**

**Overcoming Obstacles Chapter** 7

Grace woke up the next morning feeling absolutely awful. No matter what Mrs. Pugh had said to her, she just couldn't imagine how she was going to be able to help Molly through this. She had slept the whole night through after falling asleep in Mrs. Pugh's arms. She went downstairs to join her family for breakfast.

"Good morning, girls." Grace said to her daughters.

"Morning, Mama." Molly said as Grace kissed her head.

"How'd you two sleep last night?"

"Good." Molly said.

Grace felt horrible for her little girl. She didn't deserve any of this, but she couldn't do anything to prevent it. She knew she had to be strong for Molly, but it was just so hard. Watching her daughter struggle daily was the hardest thing in the entire world for her to do.

After breakfast, Grace met Oliver in his office to see how Molly took the news that she was going to be homeschooled.

"How'd it go?" Grace asked.

Oliver sighed. "She's really upset about it. She doesn't want to lose her friends. I told her it's for the best, but she's really shaken up about it."

Grace sighed. "My poor baby. I feel so bad for her, Oliver. I don't want to take her out of school. I just don't understand, she seemed like she was improving a lot. What happened?"

Oliver kissed the top of her head. "I don't know, sweetheart. Things got harder, I suppose, and it just got too much for her to keep up with."

"I just hope that the homeschooling will be what helps her succeed in life."

"It will, honey. I know it will."

"I should go talk to her." Grace said, pulling away from Oliver's tender embrace and leaving the office. She made her way to Molly's room and sat next to her youngest on the bed.

"Hi, Mama." Molly said, immediately snuggling into her mother's side.

"Hi, baby girl. Daddy told me that you are a little upset about being homeschooled."

Molly nodded. "I don't want to leave school. I like it."

"I know you do; baby, but Mrs. Richards told us that you've been having a lot of trouble with your reading and writing. We want to do this for you so you can get better at it."

"My friends have been helping me at school, Mama. I am getting better."

"I know they have, baby and I'm proud of you for the progress you have made so far. Mrs. Richards feels it's the best thing right now for you to be homeschooled. We aren't trying to pull you away from all of your friends or anything like that, baby. You can invite your friends over anytime you want. Daddy and I just want to help you, okay?"

Molly nodded.

"Mrs. Richards also told us that the kids have started teasing you again. Why haven't you come to Daddy or I about it?"

Molly shrugged. "I don't know."

"How long has it been going on, baby girl?"

"I don't know, I think a few weeks. My friends have been helping me stand up to them."

Grace pulled her daughter into her arms. "I'm so glad to hear that, baby. Are you feeling a little better now?"

Molly nodded. "I'm sorry, Mama."

"What are you sorry for, sweetheart? None of this is your fault. You have nothing to apologize for!"

"Okay." Molly said, hugging her mother tightly.

Grace kissed Molly's forehead and left her room. She met with Mrs. Pugh in the kitchen for a cup of tea.

"Are you feeling better today, sweetheart?"

Grace nodded. "I talked to Molly about the homeschooling a little bit. I hate that she has to go through this."

Mrs. Pugh nodded. "It will all work out, I promised you."

Grace nodded. "I really hope so." She finished her cup of tea and then went to call her older sister to update her about everything with Molly.

"Oh, Gracie, I'm so sorry." Jennifer said, after hearing everything that had happened.

"It's okay. It's just really hard to deal with."

"Gracie, you are so strong. I don't think I would be able to get through this if I were you,"

"I have Oliver and everyone here to support me. I would never be able to get through this alone."

"Molly is very lucky to have such a wonderful support group. You and Oliver are really going to make a difference in her life."

Grace smiles. "Thanks, Jen. I love you."

"I love you, too, Gracie. Stay strong for Molly!"

"I will," Grace hung up the phone, feeling relieved. Even though it was really hard for her to go through with this decision, she knew it was the right one. She wanted to make things as easy for Molly as possible.

Grace and Oliver made a meeting with Molly's tutor and asked if she was willing to become her homeschool teacher. She agreed and they made a date for Molly to start homeschool. Molly was still a little upset about having to be homeschooled, but Grace knew Molly would really appreciate it when she was older. Grace and Oliver had one last conference with Mrs. Richards and told her about their plans for homeschooling. Grace really hoped this would be what was going to work for Molly


	8. A New Adjustment

**A New Adjustment**

**Overcoming Obstacles Chapter 8**

The transition to being homeschooled was not very easy for Molly to handle. Grace could tell she really missed the social aspects of being in a classroom and this made her feel horrible. She did love having her daughter home though. Her school day was usually over by 1:30 or 2:00 and Grace would help her with her homework while they waited for Annie to get home from school.

Molly knocked on Annie's door a little bit before dinner time on Wednesday night.

"Annie, can we talk?"

"Sure kiddo. What's on your mind?"

"Homeschooling."

"What about it?"

"Well I'm not sure if it's a good idea. I really miss my teacher and my friends."

"Molly, you'll get to see your friends outside of school don't worry and whenever I go over Samantha's house I'll take you with me so you can play with Jamie. Does that sound like a plan?"

Molly nodded. "Thanks Annie."

"Come here kiddo." Annie patted a spot next to her on the bed and Molly immediately hopped up and snuggled into her sisters' side.

"When Kathryn comes for Thanksgiving are you guys gonna help me with my reading?"

"Sure thing. We're always here for you." Annie pulled her little sister close to her and kissed her head.

"I love you Annie, you're the best big sister ever."

"I love you too Molly. Come on, let's go see if dinner is ready yet."

"Okay." The two girls got up from the bed and headed downstairs.

Annie hoped her sister would get more adjusted to homeschooling. She vowed to spend more time with her practicing her reading until she was comfortable with it. She wanted to be as successful as possible and didn't want her sister to feel like an outcast because of her disability.

After the first week of being homeschooled was complete Grace came into Molly's room to kiss her goodnight on Friday evening.

"Mama, will you lay down with me?"

Grace smiled. "Sure baby girl." She climbed under the covers and Molly snuggled into her side.

"How was the first week of being homeschooled baby girl?" Grace asked her daughter.

Molly looked sad. "Okay I guess. I really miss my friends though."

Grace rubbed Molly's back. "I know you do baby girl but this will be so much better for you over the long term. Depending on your progress you may go back to school sometime in the spring. That should be your goal if you keep working hard."

Molly's face brightened up a bit. "Can I have my friends over for a sleepover for my birthday Mama?"

Grace smiled. "I don't see why not. I'll give Maria Erikson a call and tell her to tell Jamie to spread the word to the rest of your friends."

"I love you Mama." Molly said kissing Grace on the cheek.

"I love you too baby girl." Grace hugged her youngest daughter tightly.

Molly's birthday was November 23rd the Saturday before Thanksgiving .. Grace couldn't think of better timing for Molly's party because her sister Jennifer would be flying in from Chicago that Monday. When Molly's friends came over for the party they greeted Molly with warm hugs. "We really miss you in school Molly." Jamie said.

"I miss you guys too. We're going to have a lot of fun tonight." Molly said.

Grace was so happy that Molly had such a great group of friends. She hoped they would continue to remain close throughout the years ahead.

Molly and her friends were in bed by 10:00. After Grace checked on them and made sure they were all sleeping soundly she joined Mrs. Pugh in the kitchen for a cup of tea.

"Molly seems to have such a wonderful group of friends." Mrs. Pugh observed.

"She does. It's certainly something I'm grateful for this Thanksgiving. I hope she'll get to spend more time with them despite the fact that she is homeschooled."

Mrs. Pugh smiled at her surrogate daughter. "That's nothing to worry about sweetheart. Molly will definitely see them outside of school a great deal. I'm sure since you and Maria Erikson are such close friends you'll be able to schedule a lot of play dates."

Grace nodded excitedly. "Definitely. I am so happy to have found a friend in Maria. Her and Jamie have been two of the main people outside of our family who have helped Molly with her reading and I am so grateful for that."

"Aside from the social aspect does Molly seem to be adjusting well to being homeschooled?" Mrs. Pugh asked.

"It's been kind of rough for her I think. Do you think she may be able to go back to school in the spring?"

"I wouldn't rush things but we should keep an eye on her improvement and keep Mrs. Richards informed about it as well so that way she can make a decision."

Grace nodded. "Definitely. I will be in touch with Mrs. Richards biweekly to keep her updated on Molly's progress. Perhaps we can even schedule some meeting with her and Ms. Wilson, Molly's homeschool teacher. Molly wants to make it her goal to try to get back in school by mid-March."

"And we'll be with her every step of the way." Mrs. Pugh said.

"Of course we will. Kathryn and Annie promised to help Molly with her reading this week and my sisters will try to help her out the best they can as well." Grace smiled at her surrogate mother.

Mrs. Pugh stood up, walked over to Grace and put her arm around her.

"Grace, I'm so proud of you for how've been dealt with this. I know it hasn't been easy for you. Keep encouraging Molly and she'll be on her way in no time to great success. I love you my precious."

Grace kissed Mrs. Pugh on the cheek. "I love you too Mama. Thank you for keeping me grounded throughout the past couple months. I've been feeling so lost and unsure of so many things."


	9. More and More Progress

**More and More Progress**

**Overcoming Obstacles Chapter 9**

The homeschooling really seemed to be helping Molly with her reading and writing. Grace really hoped that she'd be able to get back in school by her goal, because she could tell Molly missed school a lot, as well as her friends. Annie made more time for helping Molly with her reading and Grace could tell she really appreciated it.

"Mama, do you think I'll be able to go back to school?" Molly asked Grace a few weeks into her homeschooling.

Grace pulled her daughter into her arms and kissed her head.

"I hope so, baby girl. Daddy and I are very proud of you for how much progress you have been making. We both love you very much."

Molly hugged her mother. "I love you, too, Mommy,"

Grace smiled at her daughter. "Are you enjoying homeschooling better?"

Molly nodded. "I just miss my friends a lot."

"I know, baby, but this will really help you in a long run,"

Molly smiled. "Okay, Mama."

Molly hopped off of Grace's lap and ran upstairs. Oliver came in the kitchen and sat down next to his wife.

:What are you thinking about?" He asked.

Grace shrugged. "I just want her to understand that we're only doing this for her."

Oliver nodded. "She will, sweetheart. It's normal for her to miss her friends."

Grace smiled a little. "I just want the best for her, Oliver. I know that she can't help but feel upset, but I just want her to understand,"

"She's going to appreciate this one day, don't you worry. It's not like we made this decision by ourselves, we talked to her teachers and measured her progress. We made an informed decision and this is what's helping her."

Grace nodded. "I suppose so,"

Oliver pulled her into his arms. "This is going to all work out, don't you worry."

The next few months went along with the same routine. School for both girls, and work for Oliver and Grace. Grace was seeing substantial progress with Molly's reading and was so glad about it. Molly was keeping in touch with her friends from school and whenever Annie went over to Samantha's house, Molly came along, so she could play with Jamie. Grace was really hoping that Molly would be able to finish her first grade year with her friends. One night in late February, Grace talked to Mrs. Pugh about it.

"I really think that Molly can go back to school," Grace said, sitting down at the table next to Mrs. Pugh,

"Gracie Liz, don't rush things. Molly has been doing very well and I know that you want her to be able to be back in school as soon as possible, but maybe you should still wait awhile. It'll be hard for her to get back into the swing of things, and maybe it's best for her if you wait out a little more. You certainly don't want to overwhelm her,"

Grace nodded. "I've been speaking to both Mrs. Richards and Mrs. Wilson about her progress and they think that it's possible Molly can go back. I know how sad she has been without all of her friends and I don't want her feeling that way for long,"

"You should wait maybe two or so weeks and then make a conference with Molly's teachers. We're all always here for her,"

"That's a good idea," Grace said. "Thank you so much for how much you've helped me through this, Mama. I don't think I would have been able to be strong for Molly without you,"

"You're welcome, my beautiful Gracie Liz," Mrs. Pugh kissed Grace's forehead.

Grace took Mrs. Pugh's advice and waited a few weeks before she made the conference with Mrs. Richards and Mrs. Wilson. They met on March seventh at the Warbucks home at around three. Grace was so glad that Molly had so many people who cared about her and just wanted to help her.

"So Molly has been making a lot of progress?" Mrs. Richards asked at the meeting.

Grace nodded. "She's really come a long way since the beginning of this school year. I want her to be able to go back to school. Do you think she's ready for it?" She asked, turning to Mrs. Wilson.

"I would say that she's ready to get back into a school environment Molly is very smart and I don't think that there's much else I can do to help her. I'll still tutor her after school, but I don't think it's necessary to keep her in homeschool,"

Grace smiled. "That's so great to hear. Mrs. Richards, do you think she'll have trouble catching up if she goes back to your classroom?"

Mrs. Richards shook her head. "Molly's been learning all the things we have been learning in class and I'm sure her firends will catch her up if needed,"

"I'm so happy to hear all about this. I know Molly is going to be so happy to come back to school,"

Mrs. Richards smiled and stood up. "I can't wait to have your daughter back in my classroom. She's such a sweet girl," She shook Grace's hand and left. Grace turned to Mrs. Wilson and hugged her.

"Thank you so much for teaching Molly. I know that all the progress she has been making is because if how much you care about her and Oliver and I really appreciate it,"

"Of course, Mrs. Warbucks. Molly has been a pleasure to teach and I'm glad I could help,"

Grace shook the woman's hand and then went upstairs to tell her daughter the good news. She found Molly in her room, playing with her dolls. Grace came in and sat on the bed.

"Molly, sweetie, I want to talk to you about the meeting I just had with Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Richards,"

Molly looked up nervously. "Am I in trouble?"

"Not one bit, baby girl. Your teachers were just telling me about all the good progress you have been making with your reading and writing. They said that it's okay for you to come back to school,"

Molly smiled widely. "Really?"

Grace nodded. "Yes, really. I'm so proud of you, baby girl. I know Daddy will be, too,"

Molly hugged her mother tightly. "I love you, Mommy,"

"I love you, too, baby girl,"

Molly spent the rest of the week in homeschool, but Grace and Oliver were sending her back to school on Monday. Grace was a little apprehensive for her daughter, as she was afraid the children would make fun of her. She talked to Annie about it and Annie reassured her that she'd watch out for Molly her first week back. Grace knew things would be a lot different this time around and hoped that things would continue to go well for Molly. She was so proud of her baby girl for staying strong throughout all of this and still managing to get better. Grace knew that a lot of children would have given up a long time ago, but not Molly. She stuck it out when things got tough and Grace was just so, so proud for being such a good sport about it all. It certainly had not been easy for her, and yet Molly still seemed to be able to come out on top.


	10. Epilouge

**Epilogue**

**Overcoming Obstacles Chapter 10**

Molly returned to school after Christmas vacation and she was quite happy to be back in a classroom setting with all her friends. Grace couldn't be happier that she has overcome so much in the past four months. Molly also became more confident in standing up for herself against the bullies. This made Grace Annie and Oliver very happy.

A year after Molly was diagnosed with dyslexia she was at same reading level as the rest of her peers and was even hoping to be in a higher reading level group by the middle of that year. Grace looked forward to what the future would hold for her daughter.

One day after school Molly came up to her and hugged her tightly.

"Mama, guess what? I am going to be promoted to a higher level reading group!"

Grace wrapped her youngest daughter in a warm hug.

"Molly, you don't know how happy that makes me. You've really come a long way since your diagnosis. Daddy, Annie, Grandma Helen and I are all so proud of you."

"I love you Mommy." Molly kissed Grace on the cheek.

"I love you too baby girl."

That evening after Molly and Annie were in bed Mrs. Pugh knocked on the door to Oliver and Grace's room. Grace was reading a book. Oliver was downstairs in the office working late on a project. "Come in Mama." She answered

Mrs. Pugh let herself into the room and sat on the edge of Grace's bed.

"Lay down with me." Grace whispered.

Mrs. Pugh obliged and settled down under the covers, Grace snuggled into her side immediately. She loved the closeness that she and Helen Pugh shared. She kissed Mrs. Pugh's cheek.

"I love you Mama, so very much."

Mrs. Pugh smiled and stroked Grace's hair affectionately. "I love you too my precious Gracie Liz. Molly seems to be a lot happier in school."

Grace grinned. "She certainly has come a long way in a year. She even stands up for herself against the bullies. I still don't understand she had so much trouble doing that in the first place. I asked her why and would never give me an answer. I guess certain things are better left unsaid."

Mrs. Pugh rubbed Grace's back. "You're really a wonderful mother Gracie Liz. I'm so proud of how strong you've been through out the past year. Even when things got really difficult you never once gave up."

Grace smiled. "We all really came together in those difficult moments and I am so glad Molly is more successful in school because of it. You we're my guiding light Mama. Thank you so much for keeping me grounded."

Mrs. Pugh leaned down and kissed Grace's forehead. "You're welcome my beautiful girl. I'm always here for you no matter what."

Mrs. Pugh continued to rub Grace's back until she fell asleep then she tucked Grace in and kissed her on the forehead once more.

"Good night my precious angel. I love you very much."

**Notes: ** While this story is ending our holiday centered fic ** Holiday Memories **with Annie and her cousins will be along shortly. We are both looking forward to this collaboration… the sequel to **Cousins**.

We will be introducing some new characters in this story and they are all on Mrs. Pugh's side of the family. Her children are 33, 30 and 25. Her children are named Billy, Marlene and Ralph.(C0-created original characters) Billy and Marlene each have one child Harold (7) and Marie (9). We will also be incorporating Molly's birth parents into this story and Annie will also have a boyfriend but he won't appear until later on. Just to recap Annie's cousins are Margaret and Larry ( her birth parents) Isabella and Eli and Jonathan and Patrick (Oliver's side) (my original characters) and Kathryn, Jacob and Christopher ( Grace's side) (Mandalicious's original characters) We hope you have enjoyed this story and the other stories we've worked on together and that you will thoroughly enjoy **Holiday Memories.** We own no characters from Annie.


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